Rocket launcher



y 20, 1958 J. H. KINDELBERGER 2,835,170

ROCKET LAUNCHER 3 Sheets$heet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1952 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

JAMES H. KINDELBERGER ATTORNEY 20, 1958 J. H. KINDELBERGER 2,835,170

ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed Dec. 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.8

Wa I l mmvrozz.

JAMES H. KINDELBERGER ATTORN EY y 20, 1958 J. H. KINDELBERGER 2,835,170

ROCKET LAUNCHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 20, 1952 INVENTOR.

JAMES H. KINDELBERGER ATTORNEY 2,835,170 ROCKET LAUN crmn James H.Kindelberger, Pacific Palisades, Califi, assignor to North AmericanAviation, Inc.

Application December 20, 1952, Serial No. 327,135

4 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

This invention pertains to rocket firing means, and more particularly tomeans for imparting a rotative movement to rockets.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement for applyinga tangential force to a rocket to obtain practically instantaneous hightorque to spin the same about its longitudinal axis.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an arrangement whichfires the rocket when it reaches a predetermined rate of rotation aboutits longitudinal axis.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an arrangementwhereby spin is imparted to a rocket by means of a quickly expandinggas, such as an explosive charge, or the stored energy of a gas bomb, orthe like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a clutcharrangement whereby spin may be imparted to the rocket while permittingit to be automatically released from the clutch upon the firing of therocket.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an arrangementwhereby rockets will be discharged upon reaching a predeterminedrotative speed.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an arrangement forstabilizing the rocket during launching thereof to avoid excessive lossof propulsive power, the rocket assisting in stabilizing itself duringthe remainder of the flight.

Other objects of invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a schematic arrangement of the device applied to a body suchas an aircraft;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an embodiment ofthe invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of parts of the arrangement shown inFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section along the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modification of the arrangement shown in Fig.5;

Fig. 9 illustrates still another modification of the arrangement shownin Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of yet another embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 11 is a View taken along the line 11-41 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view along the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 14 is a section along the line 1414 of Fig. 13; and

Figs. 15, 16, and 17 show yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in Fig. l a rocketlauncher 1 which may be one of a family of launchers mounted in anydesired location on an airplane 2. Theinvention is capable of being usedon all types of aircraft as well as in connection with tanks, landPatented May 20, 1958 same during launching and its flight toward apreselected target.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the rocket 4 is provided with one ormore pins 5 adapted to engage teeth 6 on clutch 7 which in turn ismounted in a suitable bearing 8 in the supporting body 2. Member 7 isprovided with a chamber 9 comprising a helical groove 10 for receiving asuitable propellant material. This propellant material may be anysuitable powder charge or a gas bomb, or the like.

Rocket 4 is provided with the usual warhead l1 and a detonatingarrangement 12 adapted to be energized to propel the rocket forwardlyupon reaching a predetermined rotative speed. Centrifugal detonatingdevices of the type utilized in applicants arrangement are well known inthe art .and will not be described herein.

To initiate firing of the arrangement, a fuse is placed in opening 9 andoperated by an electrical ignition arrangement controlled by switch 13and Fig. 1. Upon ignition of the means to impart propulsive forces tothe rocket, teeth 6 engage pins 5 to rotate the same. Upon reaching apredetermined rotative speed, centrifugally operated fuse 12 detonatesthe propulsive charge in a manner well known in the art, whereuponrocket 4 will be launched from tube 3. Upon launching, pins 5automatically disengage from teeth 6.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5, fixed cylinder ld isvprovidedwith a wall 15 adapted to cooperate with an inner rotatable cylinder 16and a wall 17 to provide a combustion chamber 18 having a fuse-receivingopening 19. The rocket is received in cylinder 16 and splined thereto at20 to enable rotation to be imparted thereto.

chamber. Opening 26 is adapted to receive the fuse to be electricallydischarged by the arrangement illustrated in Fig. l. Splines 20breleasably connect the rocket to the arrangement.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 9, rotatable ring 24ais provided with a lug 25a adapted to cooperate with wall 23a of fixedcasing 21a to form a combustion chamber 22a. A fuse 26a is adapted to beignited by the firing arrangement illustrated in Fig. l. Splines 20aconnect the rocket to the propulsive arrangement.

Referring now to Fig. 10, there is illustrated a turbine form ofrotative means which is adapted to rotate one or more times to bring therocket up to rotative speed. Attached to the body member carrying therocket launcher is a fixed combustion chamber 27 adapted to receive acombustion charge 28 of suitable material such as powder, explosive gasor the like. This chamber is provided with an opening 29 for receiving afuse to be ignited by means of suitable mechanism such as illustrated inFig. 1. Member 27 is additionally provided with vanes 30 which cooperatewith vanes 31 of rotatable member 32 mounted to rotate with respect tomember 27. Member 32 is connected to rocket 4 by a releasable connectionsuch as a spline arrangement 33. In the operation of this form of theinvention, combustion material 28 is ignited by means of a fuse placedin opening 29, the expanding gases cooperate with members 30 and 31 tocause rotation of member 32 and consequent rotation of rocket 4connected thereto by spline connection 33. When rocket 4 reaches apredetermined rotative speed, the fuse or other suitable detonatingarrangement operatively associated therewith-will -cause the same to bedetonated and propelled forwardly through tube 34. Openings 35 permitthe expanding gas to'be discharged from member 32.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, launchingtube 36 is caused to be rotated by a suitable member 3'7 which may be inthe form illustrated in any of Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Tube36 is mounted to rocket 4 in bearings 38 and 39 and is provided withgrooves 30 for receiving lugs 41 on the and 47, provides a chamber forreceiving combustible gases. A fuse is adapted to be placed in opening48 at the .end 45 of helical piston 44 and may be ignited by thearrangement shown in Fig. 1. Helical groove 43 v in rotatable member 46has a counterpart 49 in fixed member 47 for receiving the helical piston44 upon ignition of the combustion charge. Rocket 4 which is spline'd tomember 46 at 50 is rotated to a predetermined speed, whereupon it islaunched by means of the propulsive force initiated by a centrifugalfuse with which the rocket is provided.

While the invention described herein is primarily in tended for use withrockets which obtain all their stabilizing effect from the rotativeforce applied thereto, it is capable of being used with rockets which,after being launched, obtain part of their stabilizing effect fromnozzles or the like contained thereon for imparting rotation thereto bythe use of part of the propulsive gases.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, itis to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration andexample only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit andscope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A rocket launching arrangement comprising means for rotatablysupporting a rocket in launching position; means for imparting to saidrocket an initial rotative force including a hollow annular memberseparate from and at the rear of said rocket adapted to allow unimpededflow therethrough of the rocket exhaust gases; said annular membercomprising a fixed portion and a relatively movable portion, saidportions having a helical groove therein forming a combustion chamberfor containing an explosive charge; a helical piston in said groove;means for releasably connecting said movable portion directly to saidrocket; and means for igniting an explosive charge contained in saidcombustion chamber whereby a preflight spin may be imparted to therocket.

2. A rocket launching arrangement comprising a cylindrical, open-endedmember for supporting said rocket in launching position, a bearingmember connected to the rear of said supporting member, a hollow annularmember rotatably mounted on said bearing member, said annular memberbeing provided with a combustion chamber for an explosive charge and agas outlet in said chamber arranged to cause said member to spin, clutchmeans releasably connecting said hollow member to said rocket wherebyignition of said explosive charge and exhaustion of the resulting gasesfrom said gas outlet causes said rocket to spin, said bearing memberbeing hollow whereby passage is provided for exhaust of the chambergases and rocketexhaust.

'3. A device as recited in claim 2 in which said combustion chamber ishelical in form and open-ended to allow application of a substantiallyuniform accelerating tangential pressure force at a constant radialdistance around the annular member.

4. A rocket launching arrangement comprisin'g a cylindrical, open-endedmember for supporting said rocket in launching position, annular meansat the rear'o'f said supporting member, said means including an outerfixed member and an inner rotatable member, said members being providedwith vane means forming a combustion chamber for an explosive charge,said chamber being provided with .a gas outlet, clutch means 'releasably.connecting said inner rotatable member to said rocket whereby ignitionof said explosive charge and exhaustion of the resulting gases from saidgas outlet causes said rocket to spin, said annular means being hollowwhereby passage is provided for exhaust of the chamber gases and rocketexhaust.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS533,572 Unge Feb. 5, 1895 1,018,312 Gherassemoff Feb. .20, 19122,472,111 Kroeger et a1. .June 7, 1949 2,500,117 Chandler Mar. 7, :19502,701,984 Terce Feb. .15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,282 France Sept. 2,1920 373,719 Germany Apr. 14, 1923 404,815 Italy July .6, 1943 912,398France Apr. 29, 1946 436,932 Italy June 18, 1948 444,851 Italy Feb. 1,1949 457,201 Italy May 12, 1950 672,346 Great Britain May21, 1952

